Never Alone
by Percussiongirl19
Summary: Scarlett Wilde has lived her whole life in one town, which is not in Washington. When her mom forces her to move she becomes close with her cousin and his friends. But Scarlett isn't the easiest to get along with, even when you're her imprint.
1. One small town to another

Scarlett  
I grew up in Michigan. In a little nobody town. I loved it. I had known everyone there since I was a baby, and everyone knew me. I planned on staying there my whole life. So when my mom told me that we were moving to Washington, I may have flipped out a little.  
"What the heck Mom! You can't just tell me we're leaving everything I've ever known! I have a life here! I have friends! You can go to Washington but I am staying right here!" I stormed out the door.  
"Scarlett Mila Wilde! Get your butt back in this house!" My mom yelled back. I didn't care. I walked all the way down the street to the little café in the center of town. I slumped into the booth by the window as Betsy placed a hot chocolate in front of me.  
"You look glum." The older woman said.  
"My moms making me move to Washington. To go live closer to our relatives. We're leaving next week." I growled.  
"Aw sweetie, we'll miss you here." She said, patting my hand. I slid five dollars across the table to her. She pushed it back.  
"Not today. It's on the house. A parting gift from us." I knew she meant from our whole little town, not just from those who worked at the café. It calmed me down a little, and everyone was so supportive. My favorite teacher said to show them how smart I was. I didn't want to leave this place because everyone here was like family to me.

"Why are you going to Washington again?" My best friend Lacey asked, two nights before I had to leave.  
"My dad's cousin or something lives there. My mom wants me to 'reconnect' with my relatives. She has a son about my age."  
"Is he cute?" I threw a pillow at her.  
"He's probably gonna hate me Lace, and frankly I hate him too. He's the reason we're leaving."  
"Well if he has cute friends send them to Michigan for me." She giggled. Lacey was everything I was not, and that's why we were best friends. Lacey wore skirts and dresses practically every day. Her nails were perfectly done to match her outfit, and there was never a hair out of place. Every boy in the state was drooling over her, but she was very picky. I, on the other hand, was ok with wearing jeans and a sweatshirt every day. My sneakers were well worn, and my hair was almost always in a ponytail. Lacey had tried to tweak my look when we got to high school. She told me that I could get guys to notice me if I tried. I found a particular liking for skinny jeans, but sized so that they weren't skin tight. They were also slightly large around the waist, waiting for hips that I didn't have. Lacey provided me with belts to help. This is how I got in the car the day we left. I had tied my sneakers loosely, planning on taking them off for the drive, but that didn't end up happening. My mom insisted that I drive a part of the way to Washington.

A day and a half later, we finally got to Washington. We were staying in an apartment complex close to the reservation where my cousin lived. I was native too, but my skin was more fair than not.  
"Oh look! Joy is here to help us unpack!" My mom squealed in excitement as she pulled up to the complex. I groaned, pulling my backpack from the backseat and sliding it over my shoulder. I grabbed my lacrosse stick and took a deep breath before opening the door. My mom was already chattering away to Joy, who was hugging my mom and seemed just as excited. I stretched out of the car, but my foot caught on the seat and I stumbled forward.  
"Whoa." A deep voice said, a warm arm catching me.  
"I'm good. Really, just a klutz." I said, standing up. The guy standing in front of me was tall. Taller than I was and that's saying something. His brown eyes were dark, but concerned. He was holding a small girl on his hip, one arm wrapped her, the other extended to right me.  
"I'm Quil, and this is Claire." He said, smiling.  
"Scarlett." I grumbled, blatantly going around him and following my mom into the apartment.  
"Honey your room is upstairs on the left." My mom said. That was enough for me. I went into the room, wanting to flop on a bed when I noticed the emptiness. My bed was still in a truck downstairs. I laid in the middle of the floor, with my lacrosse stick on my chest until I heard a noise outside. I heard footsteps start echoing through the house. Quil poked his head into my room.  
"I'd knock, but my hands are full." He said with a laugh. Claire peeked out from behind his leg.  
"I know this is weird, but can you keep an eye on Claire? My friends and I are unloading the truck and I don't want her to get trampled." He said. I didn't know why he had this girl. Maybe she was his sister. I nodded, sitting up. Quil beamed, then set a box in my room and took Claire by the hand. He sat her in front of me, then picked up the box and left. Claire must have been three or four years old.  
"Where Qwil?" She asked.  
"He's just helping me out." I answered. Claire reached for the lacrosse ball sitting by my foot and rolled it over to me. I rolled it back. We played that game for twenty minutes before Quil came back. He scooped her up in his arms and she laughed. He kissed her cheek and smiled lovingly at her. They must be siblings.  
"Hey Scarlett, the guys are having a bonfire tonight. You should come and meet them. That way you're not sitting here alone." He raised his eyebrows.  
"Uh yeah sure." I said.  
"Great! I'll come by before I head down to the beach!" He smiled, before leaving. What had I just gotten myself into?


	2. Bonfire

Paul  
I didn't know why Quil wanted us to go help his cousin. He had woken me up with his phone call too. I was laying in the bed of my girl of the week. She was hot, sweet, and excellent. Now he's asking me to unload boxes? I'd rather be killed by a vamp. Everyone else was going though, so I showed up. His cousin's mom was nice enough, she gave us food. Food is good. Their apartment was a typical apartment for this complex. I had been here many times with various girls. I noticed some of the boxes had 'Scarlett' scrawled across them in handwriting that was messy, but girly and nice at the same time. I wondered if Quil would hate me if I banged his cousin.

When we finished, I had to run patrol. There hadn't been a leech around La Push in months, but we still ran regular patrols. I seemed to be running more since some of the guys who had imprinted spent more time with their imprints. Imprinting seemed dumb to me. Why would you want to have all of your choices taken away? I like having variety.

_You're gross Paul_ Seth said. He had imprinted on a cripple girl, but she wasn't so bad. She held her own in the pack.

_She's not a cripple _Seth growled. That's also why I didn't want to imprint. I don't need attachment. I don't want somebody else to have to worry about.  
Imprinting might not be bad for you Embry commented. I wished they'd just get out of my head. I neared my house and phased back, welcoming the silence in my head. It was almost dark and we were having a bonfire tonight. I threw on a pair of shorts, not bothering getting a shirt. Hopefully there would be some babes at the beach that I could get numbers from. I walked down to the beach, hoping Emily was almost done with the food. I was ravenous. My feet hit the sand and I could smell the mounds of food Emily always brought. I could also smell Jake, Sam, Collin and Brady, Quil and Claire, Jared and Kim, and another person with a vaguely familiar smell. I hoped it wasn't one of the girls I had hit up last week, considering they would be mad at me.

"Hey Paul!" Quil called to me. He was sitting in the sand, Claire in his lap. I noticed a girl sitting next to him. She was the source of the unrecognizable smell. I avoided looking at her, in case she wanted to kill me. I was Paul LaHote and I could take care of myself, but I knew how vicious girls could be.

"This is Scarlett." Quil said, gesturing to the girl sitting next to him. Sam, who was by Emily, gave me a 'behave yourself' kind of look. Why would he do that? She stood up and turned to face me. I performed my perfected 'girl watch'. It was my way of analyzing if I wanted to peruse the girl or not, and it started with her feet. She was wearing sneakers. Not terribly uncommon. I worked my way up her legs, noticing the muscles tugging at the dark denim. She must be an athlete. She didn't have much for hips, but it suited her nicely. She was wearing a thin plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up over a tank top that was clinging her flat stomach. Her chest wasn't as large as I would have liked, but her arms were muscular as well. She didn't seem to be the kind of girl who obsessed over her weight and was stick thin. Her hair was down, slightly wavy, and brown. It was a little unruly, but in a hot way. Her face was pretty, to say the least. Her mouth in a small grin. I finished my sweep at her eyes and man I'm glad I did. They were big, surrounded my thick lashes, and they were a brilliant dark shade of green. I felt a tug in my chest when I shook her hand. She sat back down next to Quil, and I felt a little jealous that she was sitting next to him instead of me. I decided that I subconsciously wanted her in my bed, so I jogged over to where the guys were and joined in their game.

Emily finally called us for dinner, and when I piled my plate high with food I sat across the circle from Scarlett. I decided that I could keep an eye on her from here without being overbearing. I didn't want to scare away the most perfect girl I had ever seen. I shook the thought out of my head. I don't commit. Where was this coming from? I decided that I should get out of there before it got worse. I jumped up and stalked away, feeling the anger boiling up in my chest. I burst into my wolf as soon as I hit the trees. I started running, looking for small animals to take my anger out on. I couldn't have just imprinted. Paul LaHote does NOT imprint. And yet, I couldn't get her out of my head. I started wondering about her. Why was she so muscular? Did she run or something? She was sexy, I'd give her that. If I was in my right mind I'd ask her if she'd want to come round my place. But she didn't seem like the girls I had been fooling around with. They were the girls everyone got with at some point. Scarlett seemed stronger, smarter. Like she wouldn't take crap from anybody.

_Hey man_. I felt Embry join me. Leave it to Sam to send the quietest kid to calm me down.

_Go back to the bonfire. I'm fine._ I growled.

_You're not fine. _He stated. I laid down in the dirt, feeling utterly defeated. Embry sat next to me.

_I was talking to her earlier._ He tried to continue the conversation.

_I don't care Embry. I don't care about her. I don't care about anyone. I'm going home. _I stood up and bolted towards my house. I phased and went into my bedroom, laying face down on the bed. I'd just have to avoid her. I'd get over her eventually. That's how I'd gotten over this one girl before. She was hot, but would reject every one of my advances. I used girls for fun, not commitment, so I avoided her for a week until I forgot about her. That's what I'd have to do to Scarlett. But for some reason, the thought of avoiding her made me upset, which in turn made me angry. I will not let myself become attached to a dumb girl.

**hello everyone! Thank you sooooo much for reading! Please leave me a review! And while you're at it, check out fari30's stuff. She left me the sweetest review! **


	3. He could have at least been nice

Scarlett  
After Quil left, I called Lacey, because who else would be able to give me fashion advice?  
"It's a bonfire Lace, I'm not wearing a dress. Nor do I own any dresses. Can't I just wear jeans?"  
"Fine. But wear a cute top."  
"Plaid?" I begged.  
"Leave it unbuttoned, and wear a tank top under it. And it has to be the pink one." Lacey knew my wardrobe like the back of her hand, having helped me buy most of it.  
"Hair?"  
"Down." She said firmly. I groaned, but pulled a brush through my loose curls. After promising to call my best friend after the bonfire, I hung up and shoved my feet in my sneakers. I heard my mom answer the door, and Quil's deep voice. I came down the stairs and stuck my hands in my back pockets.  
"Hey Quil." I said, rocking back on my heels.  
"This'll be fun Scarlett." He laughed. Little Claire was with him, and she took both of our hands as we walked down the street.  
I vaguely remembered hanging out with Quil at family gatherings and such when we were little. I guess that's why it was so easy for us to be around each other.  
"Don't let the guys scare you. They're not as bad as they seem, except for maybe Paul." He laughed. I smiled slightly. Guys would be no problem for me. When we got to the beach, Quil introduced me to his friends. I'm usually good with names, but I was deathly afraid of getting them wrong. And he had so many friends too!

I could see why he warned me about his friends. They were a rowdy bunch, running through the sand and water, tackling each other. Secretly I'd love to go join in their fun, but these guys were at least six inches taller than I was, even at my five foot nine. I didn't want to get crushed.

One of the last guys to come was Paul. Quil had told me a little about each of his friends on our walk over, and Paul was every bit the player Quil said he was. I had seen many guys like him, considering my best friend was the most desired girl in Michigan, and Paul was no different. I stood up, knowing he'd have the intention of hitting on me, but would realize I wasn't as pretty as one might think. I watched his eyes slowly work their way up to my face. As soon as his eyes hit mine, I stuck out my hand. He shook it, but his expression seemed to change. His eyes softened, but quickly resumed their hard look as he loped off to join his friends. I resumed my position next to my cousin.  
"He's not normally that rude." Quil murmured. I doubted that. I had a lot of experience dealing with guys like him. He was the same as the rest of them, arrogant and a jerk. While we ate, I noticed Paul's eyes keep flickering to me. Eventually he stormed off. I wasn't sure what set him off, but one of his friends went after him.

"So Scarlett, what brings you to the Rez?" Sam asked. I could tell he was the father figure of the group.  
"My mom wanted to be closer to Quil and our family." I jabbed my finger at Quil. I noticed the way the guys interacted with each other and the rest of the group. There were some girls, too, and as it got later into the night the guys started relaxing with their girls. Emily, who was Sam's wife, seemed like the mother. She took care of everyone else. She was beautiful, save for the scars running down her face. But those were oddly beautiful in their own way. Kim was Jared's girlfriend, and they were clearly in love. The way he held her in his arms, like he was protecting her from the world, it was cute. Leah was Seth's sister, and sat next to him with her arm barely touching his. Seth was sitting at his girlfriend's feet, and she was running her fingers through his hair. Ri was in a wheelchair, but I had noticed that it hadn't stopped her from playing small pranks on the guys. Quil had Claire cradled gently in his arms, and her head was resting on his shoulder. The way they all sat quietly, with a few whispers between people, was very relaxing. I felt myself nodding off, and leaned back against the log in the sand.

Moments later, I felt Quil's hand grab mine. It was recognizably warm.  
"C'mon Scar, let's take you home." I stood up and brushed the sand off of my jeans. I waved goodbye to Quil's friends and followed Quil up the path towards my house.  
"They loved you." He beamed. "You'll have to come hang out with us again."  
"Paul didn't love me." I said cynically. Quil chuckled under his breath.  
"Paul's had some issues. He'll warm up to you, just don't get him mad."  
"It's a little too late for that."  
"No, you didn't do anything." Quil said sternly. I let the subject drop, even though I could have kept arguing. When we got to my house, Quil gave me a slight one armed hug, being careful not to wake Claire.  
"We're all hanging at Seth's tomorrow. Please come." He begged.  
"I don't want to impose." I said.  
"Bring your lacrosse stick. I want you to show the guys what you can do. They love you, remember? I'll come get you before I go over there. It'll be a blast!" He said cheerily. He gave me another squeeze before walking away carefully with Claire. I went inside and waved to my mom before heading to my room. Mostly everything was unpacked, courtesy of my mom and Joy. I grabbed my lacrosse ball from the floor and laid on my bed, tossing it in the air. I thought about all of the people I had met tonight. They all seemed like they liked me, except for Paul. What was up with him? If he wanted to be a jerk he could have at least told me. I wondered if he'd be at the Clearwater's tomorrow. Maybe I could straighten him out then. I didn't like rude people. He didn't have to like me but he could at least be civil about it. I got up then, sliding on my sweatpants and a comfy sweatshirt before turning off the light and flopping on my bed. I'd have to ask Quil if there was a concrete wall I could play wall ball on around here. I had gone all day without playing lacrosse or working out. I set my alarm for six, deciding that I'd go for a run and learn my way around La Push before I hung out with Quil. I closed my fingers around the ball in my hand nod fell asleep, anticipating the day ahead of me.

**hello readers! Sorry it's been a while! Please review! :) **


	4. Fighter

Paul  
I didn't stay at home for long before I phased and started running patrol. Everyone was still at the bonfire, so I was left alone to my thoughts. By the time Leah phased to run with me, my blood was boiling. I had spent the whole time thinking about how mad I was at Scarlett.

_She wasn't that bad._ Leah thought quietly. Even the toughest girl in the pack had learned not to interfere when I was mad.

_She was awful. I hate her._ I ran faster, pushing the border farther than normal. The Leeches wouldn't mind, I hoped.

_You should ask her on a date._ Seth piped up.

_Don't you have a cripple to take care of? I've told you before, I don't date._ I growled. I felt Seth get momentarily angry, then start thinking about how Ri was tucked safely in her bed at the Blacks. It was disgusting.

_I didn't say date her, I said ask her on one date_. He clarified. I felt Leah's approval. Great, I was being tag teamed by the Clearwater's. This should be illegal.

_I don't want to be around her._

_You know that will only hurt you both._ Leah said. Who would have known the girl would have a caring side to her?

_How would you know? You'll never imprint._ I suppose that was a little unnecessary, but it felt good.

_Get your furry butt over here so I can rip you to shreds. _She snarled menacingly. I just laughed, and started heading back to my house. I had a girl waiting for me there. I had flirted with her a bit, and she was a few years younger than me, but nobody can resist the advances of Paul LaHote. I phased when I saw the kitchen lights on. The best thing about having my own place was being able to have girls over without my mom finding out. If she knew what I was doing I'd be dead. I was surprised Denise had been able to come on such short notice. I glanced at the clock as I came through the door. It was almost 2 in the morning.

"Hey babe." I came around the corner and winked.

"I snuck out for you so this better be good." She said, taking my hand and pulling me to my couch, sitting directly on top of me. I closed my eyes and shut everything out, letting her distract me.

When I woke up, Denise was laying on top of me, as naked as Leah was when she phased the first time.

"Crap, I should go home." She moaned, grabbing her clothes off of the floor. I closed my eyes again, dozing off until I heard a knock on the door. Jared came waltzing in, as he always did, but stopped when he got to the doorway of the living room.

"Dude, put some pants on. We have to go to the Clearwater's." He said, throwing a hand over his eyes. I knew that he had seen me naked before, it was part of being a wolf. Jared was just being courteous. I threw my shorts on and stood up. I followed Jared out the door and hoped that Sue would have food at her house because I was starving. I could smell the hamburgers before we could see the house. Jared was immediately gone from my side, having gone over to Kim and kissed her the way high school couples do in the hallway before class. It was gross. He was my best friend, but it was still gross. I sat down in the grass of the Clearwater's backyard next to Jake.

"Why'd you leave yesterday?" He asked. I knew he knew the answer, so I just shrugged.

"You ever think about giving her a chance? You can't fight the imprint."

"I did NOT imprint." I mumbled, noticing Quil arriving. I was going to ask him about his cousin, but she was standing next to him, her lacrosse stick in her hand. I noticed the way everyone was so friendly to her. They seemed to accept her as part of the pack, even though she wasn't a wolf or an imprint. I watched her as Quil encouraged her to show them what she could do with her lacrosse stick. Her hands were wrapped tightly around the stick, as if it was the source of her security. She glanced over at me, and I couldn't help but smile. She was pretty. I'd love to find a way to get her to come over to my place.

I found myself watching Scarlett as she showed off to the guys a little. She'd throw them the ball in one graceful motion, and they'd catch it. Whoever caught it would throw it back to her. Sometimes they were dead on her stick, but sometimes she'd have to jump and extend her arm to its full length. The ball never hit the ground though. She had complete control of her body, and her stick was an extension of that.

Jake sat back down next to me, setting a plate piled with hamburgers between us. I grabbed one and took a bite, not really paying attention. I was subconsciously noticing things about Scarlett. The way she'd brush strands of hair out of her eyes, or the grin that was small and sly whenever she caught something particularly tricky. Her eyes were alert, and I noticed she never took her hands off of the stick. Eventually she stopped her little game, wiping sweat from her brow.

"Hey Scarlett! Come sit with us!" Jake called. Scarlett glanced nervously at me, while I shot Jake a glare. Scarlett came over and sat in front of us in the grass, crossing her legs and putting her stick in her lap. We sat uncomfortably for a second before Jake started asking her about Michigan. She answered his questions, but I noticed the way she played with the end of her ponytail. It seemed like a nervous habit. She also kept glancing over at me. As much as I denied it, the wolf in me had imprinted. I laid back in the grass, contemplating it. The legends said that the wolf would be whatever the imprint needed him to be, but what if the imprint could be whatever the wolf needed too? I couldn't suppress the wolf in me from wanting to be around Scarlett, but the human in me didn't want to date. I decided I would just be her friend. That way everyone was happy.

I was contently laying in the sun when I felt Scarlett lay next to me. I cracked an eye open and turned to look at her. She had her hands folded over her lacrosse stick and was looking at me too.

"You looked happy." She said. I grinned. As much as I had convinced myself I hated her, she was awfully easy to like.

"Thanks" I replied. She continues looking at me with her big green eyes, curiosity bubbling at the surface.

"Hey, I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself yesterday. I'm Paul LaHote." I said, propping myself up on an elbow and extending my hand to her. She seemed shocked at first, but recovered.

"I'm Scarlett Wilde." She smiled. I felt like there was a weight off of my chest. There had been something there that I hadn't noticed before, but I could definitely tell now that it was gone. I had this imprint thing under control.

**hello wonderful readers! I just wanted to note that in my other story _Looking for some Freedom_ I had gone cannon with Paul and his imprint. Ive decided against that, so this story fits. you don't have to read that one, but it may help. *i do not own twilight in any way, and any characters you don't recognize are my OC. Review please!**


	5. Lacrosse Will Be The Death Of Me

**Hello readers! I'm sorry I went on a hiatus for a while there. Life gets in the way sometimes, aka the lacrosse season started. I'm back now though, and I promise to make my absence up to you. I'll start by posting an extra long chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

Scarlett

I didn't mind showing off to Quil's friends a little. They seemed to be thoroughly amazed with my skill. I felt more at ease with the guys. Guys didn't ask questions. They didn't voice their problems the way girls did. Guys would be guys no matter what. Eventually, I had to sit down for a little bit. The blister on my hand was searing with pain, but I secretly wished I could keep going. I had been trained to be a machine, to not stop for anything, but if my hand became incapacitated, I would be more unhappy than if I sat down now.

I had taken to staying near my cousin. He was the only one who didn't look at me as a newcomer, and I felt like I was imposing on a family gathering or something. I was surprised when Jake called me over to sit with him. Paul was next to him, and I knew he didn't want me there. Quil nudged me a little though, in an encouraging way, so I gathered my courage and sat down next to them. It was quiet for a moment, then Jake started asking me questions.

"What's Michigan like?" I told him everything I knew. I definitely missed it, and talking to Jake made me realize that. After a while Jake got up to go talk to Sam, and I had a chance to look at Paul. He was laying in the grass, his eyes closed. I laid down next to him, hugging my stick to my chest. Paul opened one eye and looked over at me.

"You looked happy." I said, justifying my actions. He really did look happy. If I was going to talk to him, it would be now. Finally he extended a hand towards me.

"Hey, I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself yesterday. I'm Paul LaHote." He said. It seemed kinda dumb, considering I already knew who he was, but I played along.

"I'm Scarlett Wilde." Paul grinned. It was odd. He seemed like the kind of guy who would scowl and be angry a lot.

Eventually everyone started going home, so I stood up and brushed the dirt off of my shorts. I grabbed my stick from the ground, feeling more secure with it in my hands.

"Want me to walk you home, Scar?" Quil asked.

"I'll be fine." I said. I had some thinking I wanted to do. As much as I loved my cousin, having him walk me home would mean I'd be obliged to talk to him instead of think. My walk home was a quiet one. I thought a lot about Paul. It was inevitable. He was attractive, I'll give him that, but he seemed like he had been with every girl in the Rez. I didn't like that. He would try to play his little game with me, but I had to be strong. I couldn't let him do that. I didn't need to be hurt, not in this new place.

When I got home, I called Lacey. I had forgotten to last night, so she wasn't too happy.

"SCARLETT MILA WILDE WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU DOING THAT WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN CALLING YOUR BEST FRIEND?!" She yelled. I rolled my eyes. Only my best friend would get enjoyment from using my whole name.

"Calm down Lace, I fell asleep."

"Oh." I laughed at her simple reaction. I told her everything that had happened since we had last talked, and she liked that.

"I wouldn't get involved with this LaHote kid. You don't need that. But omg Scarlett if you get a boyfriend I better be the first one to know so I can visit and let him know what he's getting into."

"I promise." I said. I didn't plan on searching for a boyfriend. I wanted the summer to be over so I could get through my senior year of high school, then go to Syracuse or Florida or somewhere to play lacrosse. There was no room for boys in my plans. After hanging up with Lacey, I changed out of my nice shorts and shirt into gym shorts and my practice pinny. I scribbled a note to my mom that I was going for a walk, then went back outside, lacrosse stick in hand. I headed towards the beach, bouncing the ball on the pavement as I walked. The beach was empty, like I expected it to be. Most people were in their homes, having dinner with their families. My mom was still at work, and she was my only immediate family, so I was by myself for tonight.

I cradled the ball in my stick for a moment, before launching it across the beach, parallel with the ocean. I jogged across the sand towards where it had landed, feeling the contours of the beachunder my sneakers. Scooping the ball up, I turned on my heel and launched it the other way, watching it disappear over a sand dune as I sprinted after it. I was racing the wind tonight. It had been a long time since I had gone on a good run. I was debating waking up early to run before it got to hot out tomorrow when I found myself hitting the ground. I didn't know if I had tripped or if something had knocked me over, but my head was throbbing.

"Oh my gosh Scarlett are you ok?" I opened my eyes, trying to find where my stick had landed.

"Scarlett?" The voice called again. I looked up to see none other than Paul LaHote standing over me. Just fantastic. My hands found my stick, and I started to stand up, leaning on it for support. I was really dizzy, which was weird. I fall a lot, and nothing's ever felt like this. I felt Paul's hand on my shoulder, pushing me back down.

"What the heck Paul?" I groaned.

"You just got hit in the head with a lacrosse ball. Now sit tight while I figure out what to do."

"I've been hit multiple times. I'll live." I said. I didn't get what the fuss was about. I also didn't get why my head was still in so much pain. Normally getting hit would only hurt for a second or two.

"You might have a concussion. Now would you please stop trying to stand up?" He said, pushing me down once again.

"I just want to go home." I grumbled, but I didn't feel up to walking home just yet. I needed to get my head on straight first, so I stayed where I was, digging into the sand with my finger. Paul was pacing near me, talking to himself. Finally Quil jogged up to him. I could hear parts of their conversation from where I was sitting.

"What did you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything! I just found her ball, so I threw it back. I guess she was closer than I thought, because I think I hit her in the head."

"I swear if I'm concussed I'm going to murder you Paul Lahote!" I yelled to him. Yelling didn't help with my headache, but it made my soul feel better. Quil's scowl softened for a moment as he chuckled at me. He came over and crouched down next to me.

"What do you remember?" He asked.

"I was playing ball, and then SOMEBODY chose to interfere. I was running, and then I was on the ground." I said, clearly irritated with Paul.

"Well, her attitude doesn't seem to have suffered. We should get you to Doc just in case though."

"I'll be fine." I protested, but nothing I did stopped Quil from lifting me in his arms and sliding me into Paul's car. How wonderful, I was about to be driven to the doctor by the one person who I really didn't want to interact with right now.


	6. Leech

Paul

I was on the beach to think. I didn't have to run that night, so I decided to spend time by myself. Old Paul would have found some girls to hang out with, but imprinted Paul didn't want to do that. So I went to the beach, and I sat until I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I noticed it was a lacrosse ball with the letters 'SW' written on it rolling in the sand towards me. It was the same one Scarlett had used at the cookout today. I threw it back, debating if I should go and try to talk to her. My decision was made quickly when my super wolf hearing picked up on her hitting the ground. Hard.

I jumped up and loped over the dune, speeding up when I saw her laying in the sand.

"Oh my gosh Scarlett are you ok?" I asked frantically. It was stupid, but I wasn't sure what to do. The wolf inside of me was freaking out like 'what the heck you just hit your imprint with a lacrosse ball and now she's practically knocked out on the ground how could you do such a thing' but the human in me was trying to suppress that. No feelings for Scarlett Wilde here. She's just Quil's cousin. Quil! I pulled out my phone and shot him a text. He could help me. I noticed Scarlett stirring, so I tried talking to her again.

"Scarlett?" She sat up, holding her head in her hands. She wasn't bleeding, which was good. No need for blood here. She went to stand up, but I could tell she was wobbly. I pushed her back down gently.

"What the heck Paul?" She asked gruffly. She wasn't mentally pulled together.

"You just got hit in the head with a lacrosse ball. Now sit tight while I figure out what to do." Scarlett was stubborn, but after some quick banter I got her to stay sitting. Quil finally arrived, worry in his eyes as he saw Scarlett.

"What did you do to her?" He hissed.

"I didn't do anything! I just found her ball, so I threw it back. I guess she was closer than I thought, because I think I hit her in the head." I defended myself. Quil looked ready to punch me. Good, I deserved it. Scarlett interrupted by yelling about how she was going to kill me if she was concussed. Typical Scarlett. Quil and I both cracked a smile. He went over to her and talked her into going to see Doc. Quil had run from Emily's when he got my text, but I had driven to the beach earlier, so Quil put me in charge of making sure my imprint made it to the doctor safely.

Scarlett sat quietly in the passenger seat as I drove, holding her lacrosse stick between her knees.

"How are you feeling?" I tried.

"Just peachy. I feel like I could run a marathon." She said through gritted teeth, her voice dripping in sarcasm. I focused on my driving to avoid being sarcastic back. Quil said he'd call the bloodsucker and let him know we were coming. The doctor was friendly, but I still didn't like coming on such short notice like this. Not because I cared if we were imposing on 'family' things that leeches do, but because I didn't have time to prep for this meeting and now I'm driving my imprint straight to a house full of things a whole lot more dangerous than a lacrosse ball.

Doctor Cullen was waiting outside when I pulled into the driveway. I quickly got out of the car and opened Scarlett's door. She shot me a dirty look, but was able to stand up, using her stick to balance.

"Ah, you must be Scarlett." The doc said calmly. I sniffed the air. It seemed like he was the only leech close, but I kept my guard up. Scarlett seemed to take kindly to the leech. I wasn't sure how I felt about that. He took her by the elbow and guided her inside,while I followed closely behind, my hands shoved in my pockets to avoid ripping Scarlett from the bloodsucker's clenches.

The doctor had her sit on their pristine white couch while he examined her. I noticed the way she played with the strings on her lacrosse stick while he worked. Finally he looked at me.

"She doesn't seem to have a concussion, just mildly shaken up. Have her take it easy the next few days, keep her hydrated, and she should be fine. Let me know if anything pops up that's concerning." He said. I just nodded. I wanted to get her out of here before the other leeches came. Scarlett stood up, stumbling a little. She grabbed my arm for support, blushing a little when she realized what she had done. I thanked the doctor as Scarlett slowly walked to the car. I followed her, waiting to catch her if she fell, but she didn't. I started the car and glanced over at Scarlett sitting next to me. Her mouth was set in a thin line, her eyes forcefully gazing in front of her.

"Alright, let me have it." I said with a sigh as I backed out of the driveway.

"Let you have what?" She asked.

"You're angry. Yell at me. I know you want to." She glanced over at me, gave an exasperated sigh, then turned away from me and looked out the window. I had assumed she'd want to yell at me, but she's a smart girl. I wanted her to yell at me so she's not giving me what I want. It was silent the rest of the drive back to Scarlett's apartment. I turned the key, shutting the car off. It was dark now, but the inside of my beat up car was illuminated by the streetlight outside. Scarlett opened the door, and just as quickly had unlocked her front door and disappeared inside. I drove home in a quiet car. As soon as I parked, I jumped out and phased. I didn't feel like being home.

_Hey man_ Jared said, a little bit cautious.

_I just want to run. Where can I cover? _I asked. I knew they'd get in my head and see everything, but I didn't want to think about it. Hurting Scarlett had definitely hurt me, but I didn't want to fall in love with her. I couldn't fall in love with her, because I'd probably screw up somehow and hurt her emotionally. That would be even worse than hurting her physically.

_You can run my spot if you want. I'll go visit Kim_. Jared said. The pack collectively groaned, knowing that Kim's parents were out for the night. I pushed myself faster, trying to keep all thoughts off Scarlett. It was working pretty badly when I found something distracting.

_Guys, leech heading north. _I said, sticking my nose to the ground and following the scent. The leech wasn't one of the Cullen's recognizable scents either. This was a new bloodsucker. I followed the scent all the way to a small clearing. The rest of the pack was coming, but I had run the furthest patrol line.

"Well well well. What do we have here?" The leech said coldly, sinking into a crouch. I growled, prepping to strike. Leah and Jake were about a minute away. We could easily get this one.

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**hello everyone! I'm truly sorry for my hiatus. Really I am. So here's another chapter for you! Rate and review please!**


	7. All in a days work

Scarlett

I spent the whole car ride ignoring Paul. I couldn't give him what he wanted. Not at all. I didn't mean to be rude, I just needed to keep myself detached. When I got home I didn't bother changing, I just crashed on my bed. My day had gone from decent to terrible, all because of dumb Paul Lahote.

When I woke up I had a massive headache, and the sun was blaring through my window. I got up and fumbled downstairs to get a glass of water and some ibuprofen, but stopped dead in my tracks when I noticed someone sitting in my kitchen. It was Ri Moreau, Seth's girlfriend. She smiled brightly, then pushed a plate of toast and eggs across the table towards me.

"Paul asked me to come check in on you."

"Dumb Paul." I grumbled as I sat down. I liked Ri, she had a strong soul.

"He's not too bad, just doesn't know how to handle emotions." She said.

"How long have you been friends with all of them?" I asked out of curiosity.

"I've known Seth for almost a year now, but I didn't get out of the hospital for about a month and a half after we met. And we've only been dating for about eight months. But I met everyone my first day in La Push." She said thoughtfully. I had only talked to Ri a few times in the past few days. She was in a wheelchair, so she stayed on the outskirts of the crowd.

"You're wondering how a girl like me ends up in a group of people like them, aren't you?" She asked. Truthfully I was. She wasn't native, and she was only eighteen.

"I was in an accident a few years back, which explains the chair. There wasn't room for me with my parents in Seattle, so I lived in the hospital for a while. It was fluke that I met Seth, because he kept me company until Billy had room for me here. Seth is my best friend here, no doubt. I spend more time at his house than anywhere else. La Push isn't exactly chair friendly, but Seth makes it easier for me. When he's working I generally find someone's house to chill at. Sometimes it's his house, or Emily's, or Billy's. It all depends. Paul was worried about you, so Seth suggested I come here for today. I hope you don't mind." She said.

"No, not at all. I wasn't planning on doing much today though." I said. My head was still throbbing.

"That's ok. Sometimes nothing is better than something." By mid-afternoon I had grown quite fond of Ri. She told me about La Push, and some of the legends. She told me about the guys, and how they all work together. She seemed worried about something, but it wasn't my business to ask. She asked about Michigan, and my life there. She had a comforting vibe to her, which helped relax me. I didn't know why I was stressed, but Ri helped dissipate that. Eventually there was a knock on the door.

"It's open!" I called, too comfortable on the couch to get up. Seth sauntered into the small living room, immediately going over to Ri. She tilted her face up to him and he bent over to kiss her quickly. My favorite thing about them as a couple was how they didn't have a flashy relationship. I had spent some time at the bonfire the other night observing the couples within the pack. Ri and Seth did little things, like that greeting, or holding hands when they were near each other, but a lot of the time they teased and joked with each other. Kim and Jared were the other end of the spectrum. Their greeting was one that high school couples had, the 'get a room' kind of greeting. When they were sitting by the fire, he held her in his arms. It was cute, but it was mushy gushy love. Not my thing.

"How are you doing Scarlett?" Seth asked. He was very friendly.

"I'm doing better. Your lovely girlfriend did a good job keeping me company today." I said with a smile. I could be nice when I wanted to. Seth smiled down at Ri for a moment before turning his attention back to me.

"Would you be up for seeing Paul?" He asked cautiously. I nodded slowly as Paul came into the living room. He had been standing in my kitchen the whole time and I didn't even know!

"You wanna go for a walk?" He asked. I stood up, sticking a stray lacrosse ball in my pocket and grabbing a spare stick before following him outside. It had been raining all day, but it was sunny now. It was nice for a walk.

"How was work?" I asked, trying to keep calm. Paul smiled.

"Work is work. Never good, but never bad." He said.

"Ri said you were worried about me." I stated.

"Well you'd be worried too if you hit your best friend's cousin with a lacrosse ball. It could be worse though, at least it wasn't Claire that I hit." He said.

"Are siblings more important than cousins?" I asked. Paul seemed confused, then laughed loudly. I narrowed my eyes, not getting the joke.

"Claire isn't Quil's sister, although I can see why you would think that."

"What is she then?" I was confused.

"Claire is Emily's niece. No relation to Quil. He's just a much abused babysitter." He laughed again.

"Why?"

"Because he wants to be. It won't always be like that. Eventually Claire will grow up and Quil will be a much abused boyfriend." Either Paul had said something he shouldn't have, or I looked really confused because he backtracked quickly.

"I- I- I mean he can move on with his life." He said hurriedly.

"Quil doesn't have a girlfriend now does he?" I asked.

"Nope. But he's happy as a clam with Claire, so it all works out." He said.

"The relationships within your friends are interesting." I said.

"Can you remember them all?" He challenged.

"Sam and Emily are married. Jared's dating Kim and it's a typical high school romance: gross. Ri is dating Seth, who is Leah's brother and Leah isn't very happy about that. Personally I like Ri. She's sweet. Jake has a girl but I haven't met her yet. Her name is...?" I trailed off.

"Nessie. She's quite something." He said angrily.

"I'm sensing some tension. Have eyes for Jake's girl?" I teased lightly.

"What? Nessie? No! I just don't like her family. Long story." He said.

"What about you? You're a free spirit, aren't you?"

"At the moment, kinda. I'm not really taken, but for the first time ever I wish I was." He said, gazing at the horizon. I didn't know how to reply. Usually Lacey just had to tell me her problems and could figure out a solution herself. I didn't have experience actually helping.

"You ever feel drawn to someone? Like you can't explain it but for some reason you just want to be around them and be there for them when they need it? Like you miss them when they're not around and you feel happy when you get to see them?" He said. It was weird, having Paul open up to me like this.

"Is that how you're feeling right now?" I asked, kind of unsure what to do.

"Yes. That's exactly how I feel." His mind seemed distant.

"Well what are you doing here with me then?" I asked. If he wanted to be with this person so badly, why was he wasting time with me? And then it dawned on me.

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**hello readers! Second update in one day! How's that for making up for my absence? I enjoyed writing that last little scene there. Interesting dialogue between Scarlett and Paul. Her reaction is still unknown though. Haha cliffhangers! (Laughs evilly) anyways, review please! 3**


	8. Temper

Paul

I don't know why I opened up to Scarlett like that. It felt right. She was observant. Very observant. I guess as a lacrosse player, you have to be aware of things going on quickly. She also knows what a team atmosphere feels like and the dynamics there. I didn't realize that I had slipped up until she hit me with her lacrosse stick.

"What! The! HECK!" She said, hitting me with every word.

"I've been here for two! Days!" She yelled angrily, hitting me again. It didn't hurt, but I didn't appreciate it much either.

"It's not my fault!" I yelled back.

"Darn right it is! You just had to mess with me didn't you!"

"I wasn't trying to mess with you!" I really wasn't. I had seen a lot of girls, and none of them were as wonderful as Scarlett. She was hot when she was angry. There was fire in her eyes.

"Oh please! Pretending to care about me, pretending that you're worried about me, it's all just a game to you!"

"This isn't something I can control!" I felt myself trembling.

"Well you better try. I will not become just another plaything!" That sent me over the edge. I burst into wolf form, not only angry at Scarlett, but angry at anybody who had hurt her before. The things she was saying implied that she had been treated badly before. She stood there shocked for a moment, gazing at the giant wolf in front of her. Luckily we were far enough down the beach that nobody was near us. My head was oddly silent. I knew that almost the whole pack was phased, so it shouldn't be this quiet. Everyone's attention was focused on me. Scarlett didn't move, she just kept her hands on her stick.

_Paul, you have to calm down so you can phase back and explain it to her_. Jared said calmly.

_You don't want to hurt her._ Sam warned.

_Kudos to her for being brave enough to whack you._ Leah laughed. There was a collective _shut up Leah_ from the rest of the pack. I turned my attention back to the girl standing in front of me. Her knuckles were white from clutching her stick so tightly in her hands.

"Well this is odd." She mused.

"I'm still angry at you. Giant wolf or not, I'm not just something you can fool around with." She said sternly. She turned on her heel and started back towards her house.

_Do I follow her?_ I asked the pack.

_Can you phase back?_ Sam asked. I opened my head up, letting them feel the anger at everyone and everything that had hurt her, even herself. There was no way I could phase back yet.

_Go run patrol. Clear your head. Come back to my place when you can be human again_. Sam ordered. I turned and sprinted into the woods, finding a familiar path. I let my wolf instincts overcome me, the thrum of my paws hitting the dirt relaxing me. I ran for at least two hours. It was dark by the time I found myself in Sam's backyard. There was a pile of clothes on the back deck, courtesy of Emily. I phased back and put on the shorts before going inside. Emily slid a mug of coffee across the counter as I sat down.

"She's at the Blacks right now. Ri is with her, explaining everything."

"I should be the one explaining." I growled, before draining the mug. Emily ignored my comment.

"It's funny how alike you two are. No wonder you imprinted on her. You both have a short temper and aren't afraid to protect yourselves." She said calmly.

"I see it in Seth and Ri too. They're both very happy-go-lucky. A lot of people think your soulmate is someone who balances you out, but with you guys it seems to be like half of you was missing and you find it in your imprint." She continued. It was an interesting theory.

"I'd let her come to you. Let her process what's happened, let her calm down. She'll come to you when she's ready. You don't want to frighten her any more." Emily finished before leaving the kitchen to join Sam on their couch. I stayed sitting where I was. I had to get control of myself. If I got up now I'd find myself at the Blacks. Emily was right. Scarlett had to come to me when she was ready.

I sat in Sam's kitchen until it got so late that he kicked me out. Then I went home and laid in my bed until I fell asleep. I dreamt about Scarlett and the leech that we had killed earlier today. I woke up in the middle of the night with a feeling of panic.

"It was just a dream." I said out loud into the darkness. Imprinting for me was a lot harder than everyone made it out to be. Seth and Ri were perfect for each other. They had he same sense of humor and got along great. Kim had liked Jared before he imprinted, so he had it easy. Claire will have grown up with Quil. There's no way she won't like him when shes old enough. Jake didn't have much trouble either. Nessie loved him, and so did her family. His trouble had nothing to do with the imprint, just Nessie's blood status. I guess the only person who had any trouble with imprinting would be Sam, but it wasn't his imprint that he had trouble with. He and Emily were fine, it was Leah who caused the trouble. Why did I have to have the imprint with a temper? Maybe it was payback for all the times I blew up at everyone else, or all the girls I had slept with. Now I've found the PERFECT girl, and I can't have her. Just my luck.

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**hi everyone! Is this really my third update today? Wow. Impressive. Scarlett's quite a firecracker isn't she? I'm going away for the next few days, so I won't be able to update until Monday, but I'll try to sneak one last chapter in before I fall asleep tonight. Review please!**


	9. Would you like some tea?

Scarlett

After Paul burst into a wolf (ok, maybe I was a LITTLE impressed) I started walking home. I kind of expected Paul to come after me, but I didn't want him too. Luckily he didn't. There was a reason I carried my stick with me all the time, and it was jerks like him. It wasn't like I beat people on a daily basis, only when they gave me reason to. I kinda felt bad, but he didn't look too injured. I had hit girls harder when I was on the field.

When I was about halfway home, I got a call from Ri.

"Hey champ. You wanna come over to the Blacks for a bit?" She said nonchalantly.

"Yeah I guess. I have nothing better to do tonight."

"Great! I'll go put the kettle on!" Ri said excitedly, then hung up. I changed my route, making my way to the Blacks and knocking on the door. Ri answered and swiped her eyes across my face.

"Well that's surprising." She said, turning her chair around and wheeling into the kitchen.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, accepting the mug of tea she handed me.

"You saw Paul phase, and you're not freaking out." I must have looked surprised, because she continued.

"The legends I was telling you before are all true." I thought this over quickly. Everything Ri had told me, phasing, the cold ones, the pack, it all made sense now.

"There's one more thing I haven't told you. Sometimes, a wolf will see someone and be completely attached to them from then on. It's called imprinting, and is basically finding their soulmate. The wolf will do anything to protect his imprint, she becomes his whole world. We've had a few in the pack. Sam and Emily, Jared and Kim, Quil and Claire, Seth and I." She listed them off.

"But Claire's just a baby." I pointed out.

"Quil will wait for her. The guys don't exactly age if they phase regularly. He's resident babysitter right now, and eventually when Claire is older she'll realize that he's been looking out for her her whole life and fall for him."

"And what about me?" Ri sighed, then thought for a moment before answering.

"Paul has imprinted on you." She said. I took a slow deep breath, trying to keep my temper under control. Ri was only giving me information.

"So what does that mean?" I said.

"It's ultimately your decision. You don't have to do anything you don't want to. But if you avoid him, it'll physically affect you both. Seth had to go away for a weekend a little while ago, and I was bedridden with sickness until he got back." I thought back to how I yelled at Paul for controlling himself. I felt bad now, knowing that he really couldn't, but I still stood by what I said. I had only been in Washington for 2 days. I didn't need drama like that yet.

"I'm still angry with him." I said.

"You have every right to be. Paul is a jerk and a half on most days. Honestly I've never seen him so vulnerable. Hey! Here's an idea! Alice Cullen is throwing a huge party for Nessie this weekend. Why don't you come? Paul will be there, so you can see each other, but it'll be big enough that you don't have to talk to him at all." Ri's excitement was evident in her eyes.

"Fine." I agreed. After chatting with Ri some more, I finally made it home. When I did, I was greeted by a large box on the porch.

"Mom! What's this box?" I called into the house.

"It's for you!" My mom called back. I dragged the box up to my room and opened it. It was from Lacey, and had a bunch of clothes in it. My best friend was awesome. It was luck that I knew her. Her dad was rich and wanted a getaway, so he bought a house in Michigan. Lacey and I became such good friends that her dad let her stay in Michigan year round. We never talked about how rich Lacey was, but occasionally she'd restock my wardrobe. These clothes were perfect for me. Lacey knew what was up. They were comfortable, but stylish. I was opposed to dresses, but she picked perfect ones for me. I love my best friend. I decided on what to wear to the Cullen's, then climbed into bed.

I thought about Paul. I shouldn't have hit him, but he deserved it. I stared at my ceiling until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer, then fell asleep.

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**hi! I'm sorry this chapter is so short... I'm so tired from my trip still, I just wanted to get something posted for you lovely people. Please review! If there's anything you want to see happen just let me know! I'm open to suggestions! **


	10. Party

Paul

By the time the weekend rolled around, I was a mess. I hadn't seen Scarlett in three days. Not that I cared or anything, but since she's my imprint I was feeling pretty crappy. Jake wanted us to go to Nessie's birthday party at the leeches house today too. I probably would have bailed, but Ri told me that Scarlett was going. Maybe she'd talk to me today.

The pack all arrived at the same time. The girls had arrived earlier to help prepare, so it was just us guys. When we got there the party was underway, and you could smell the leeches everywhere. Leeches that could hurt Scarlett. I fought through the overwhelming scent until I found her. I was still across the room from her, but her sweet scent was wafting towards me. I found her amidst the crowd, standing next to Ri. She had one hand on the other girls chair, and was standing uncomfortably. I could tell she was fidgety, because she didn't have her lacrosse stick in her hands. I drank in the beautiful sight of her.

She was wearing a black dress with a white collar, red converse, and a red bow in her hair. Her dark hair was laying around her shoulders in loose curls, the bow keeping the flyaway strands out of her eyes. She noticed me looking at her, so I looked away quickly. I kept myself from looking at her again, but I felt myself relax knowing she was close. I glanced over at her again, watching her interact with the blonde vamp.

"She's feeling it too." Ri said, bumping into me gently. How she managed to move around so efficiently was lost to me.

"Yesterday she came over and laid on my floor for two hours because she had a leg cramp. And besides seeing me she spends all day playing wall ball." Ri said, not waiting for a reply.

"She's wearing a dress." I said.

"Lacey sent it to her. She has a pretty good fashion sense."

"Scarlett or Lacey?" I asked.

"Scarlett. Lacey sends her stuff, but she puts them together. For a girl who spends most of her time in running shorts and a practice pinny, she knows how to look good." Ri mused.

"Is she afraid of me?" I asked.

"No. She wasn't the least bit freaked out when you phased either."

"Then why is she avoiding me?" I was starting to get angry. I just wanted to march over and talk to her. If she wasn't afraid of me then she should have the decency to talk to me!

"She's angry with you, or at least she claims to be." Ri said.

"She's angry with me for what?"

"For dumping all your feelings on her. It's a lot for her to handle." Why did girls have to be so complex? I couldn't bear to talk to Ri anymore, not about Scarlett. I found an empty corner and slouched down onto the floor. Jake would kill me if I left, so I'd just have to stay here. I was gazing absentmindedly at the feet of the partygoers when I noticed a pair of red sneakers slide out next to me.

"I'm sorry I hit you with my stick." Scarlett said quietly, folding her hands in her lap.

"It was really rude of me. I just didn't know how to react." She kept going, obviously nervous. She opened her mouth to speak again, but I stopped her by pressing my lips gently on her cheek. She turned at looked at me sharply, but I could see color rising in her cheeks.

"I had to get you to shut up somehow, didn't I?" I smiled. Scarlett rolled her eyes, but smiled back.

"How bout we make a deal?" I proposed.

"I'm down with that." She said with a grin.

"You get to know me first, then you make a decision." I said. She considered it briefly, then smiled.

"Good. Now, may I have this dance?" I said, standing up and offering her my hand. Scarlett laughed, then took my hand and pulled herself up. I kept a tight hold on her hand as I led her into the backyard.

The sun was setting and Alice had decorated the yard with strings of lights. There was music playing, and I pulled Scarlett into my arms. I slid my hands down into her hips, and she put her arms up on my shoulders. I noticed Seth bring Ri outside, and he gave me a "good job" look. I looked back at the girl in my arms, and felt more at peace than I had in a long time.

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**hello readers! I've been blocked lately, so I apologize for the short chapters. I promise to start making them longer again soon! As always, please review! Any and all suggestions will be taken into consideration!**


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